


Occupational Hazard

by supersonicsidekick



Category: Spider-Man (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Badass Mary Jane Watson, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-15 22:28:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18082109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supersonicsidekick/pseuds/supersonicsidekick
Summary: It was probably nothing, Officer Williams had said that himself. But on the off chance that it wasn’t, MJ had a duty, both as a journalist and Spider-Man’s partner, to investigate.Plus, this had the potential to be a way better story than the one MJ was currently working on.





	Occupational Hazard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gargan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gargan/gifts).



> This fic is my contribution to Marvel's Spider-Man Fic Exchange 2019. It is based on Gargan's prompt: "MJ's ability to talk her way out of any situation is put to the test when she comes face to face with the member of the Sinister Six, and Spidey's too busy to lend her a hand." Hope you enjoy.

MJ was about to enter The Bar With No Name when she received a text from her police contact.

 

**Officer Williams**

_Six allegedly spotted near the cemetery in Northwestern Harlem. [4:15]_

_It’s probably nothing, but I figured Spider-Man would want to check it out. [4:15]_

_You’ll pass it onto him, right. [4:16]_

 

MJ thought about it. That would probably be the smartest course of action. But Peter was busy giving Miles a web-slinging lesson. By the time he was finished, the Sinister Six would likely be far gone.

 

MJ was fairly close, only a few blocks away; if she hurried, she could make it there within the hour.

 

It was probably nothing, Officer Williams had said that himself. But on the off chance that it wasn’t, MJ had a duty, both as a journalist and Spider-Man’s partner, to investigate.

 

Plus, this had the potential to be a way better story than the one MJ was currently working on.

 

Her decision made, she texted back _sure_ , and made her way to the cemetery in Northwestern Harlem.

 

* * *

 

She saw no obvious signs of the Six’s presence when she arrived, but then again, she hadn’t expected to. The Six were smarter than that; at least, Otto Octavius was. She would have to sweep the area.

 

She searched the cemetery first, avoiding Ben and May’s graves as best she could. She couldn’t afford to get emotional if there was a chance that the Six were here.

 

When her search of the graveyard proved fruitless, she turned her attention to the surrounding buildings. One after another, they yielded no evidence of the Six’s involvement in the area. Just when MJ was about to call it quits, a man grabbed her from behind.

 

She didn’t panic, as that would get her nowhere; instead she whipped out her trusty taser. And when said taser had no effect on him,  she realized who exactly she was dealing with.

 

“Seriously?” Electro asked.

 

“Obviously if I had known I was dealing with a living electrical capacitor, I wouldn’t have bothered,” MJ snapped back, because of course she would run into the one person her taser would have no effect on.

 

Electro laughed. “Oh, feisty. I like you.”

 

“The feeling’s not mutual.”

 

“Ouch. You wound me.” Electro didn’t sound hurt at all.

 

Suddenly, he yanked her, and she stumbled as he dragged her into a room that housed the rest of the Six.

 

Electro’s voice was theatrical when he spoke. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

 

He shoved her into the center of the room, and she landed, hard, on her knees.

 

She expected to be swarmed, to be beaten and mangled and killed, but they just stared at her. The seconds ticked by and still nothing happened.

 

She stood, her legs trembling slightly, trying to project a confidence she didn’t feel. No one stopped her.

 

Her mouth was dry, but she spoke anyway. “Dr. Octavius, Mr. Li.”  

 

Martin smiled, a genuine smile that seemed at odds for the situation. “Miss Watson.”

 

Otto said nothing, just looked at her in a way that made MJ vaguely uncomfortable.

 

“You two know her.” Vulture’s words were a statement, not a question.

 

Otto nodded. “Miss Mary Jane Watson. Ace reporter and, more importantly, girlfriend of our nemesis.”

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” MJ said, but from the appraising looks Electro, Vulture, Rhino, and Scorpion we’re giving her, they didn’t believe her. And why would they? MJ wouldn’t, if she were them.

 

They continued to stare and stare. Despite the intensity of their gazes, MJ refused to shrink under the attention.

 

After what felt like an eternity, Scorpion smiled—cold and not at all friendly—and broke the silence. “Well, well, guess it’s our lucky day.”

 

Rhino nodded. “Our lucky day indeed.”

 

MJ wanted to protest more, but she knew that it would fall on deaf ears. So she remained quiet and instead focused all of her energy on finding a way to escape.

 

She couldn’t let them use her as leverage against Peter. She _wouldn’t_ let them use her as leverage against Peter.

 

She just needed to come up with a plan.

 

Otto ordered Electro to take her to a supply closet of sorts. There, Electro bound her to a chair and gagged her so she couldn’t scream before leaving. 

 

MJ was a little offended that Otto didn’t think she warranted a guard, but more so she was relieved. It would make escaping much, much easier.

 

* * *

 

It took time, much more time then MJ would have liked, but finally, she managed to slip the bonds on her hands. She quickly got to work untying the rest of the ropes. When she was done, she removed the gag from her mouth.

 

The door to the closet was locked, but since only her taser had been confiscated, she was able to open the door with her debit card.

 

She crept as quietly as she could through the building, pausing every so often if she thought she heard something.

 

She should have headed straight for the door, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave without her taser. Maybe it was a little—okay, a lot—irrational, but she’d grown attached to it. How couldn’t she, when it had gotten her out of so many bad situations.

 

So she took an unnecessary, but at the same time completely necessary, detour. With a mixture of luck, skill, and Spider-Lures, she managed to reclaim her precious taser undetected.

 

It wasn’t until she got to the room that housed the exit that she ran into a problem. Scorpion was hovering near the door, like he was waiting for her to make a break for it. She wasn’t quite sure why, but she had a feeling that it had something to do with the fact that she worked for J. Jonah Jameson’s old newspaper.

 

What she was certain of was that there was no way she was going to get past him. So she turned around and searched for another exit. After a while, she found a window.

 

It was hard to reach, and even harder to open, but she managed. She was running as soon as she feet touched the ground, and she didn’t stop till she reached Hell’s Kitchen.

 

* * *

 

After she caught her breath, she checked the time. _7:56_. Peter would be home by now. She dialed his number and put the phone to her ear. He answered on two rings.

 

“ _Hey_.”

 

“Hey. You’re not going to believe what just happened.”

 

Peter groaned, but his tone was more fond that worried when he asked, “ _What did you do now, MJ?_ ”

 

Despite all that had happened, MJ couldn't help but smile as she filled him in on everything that had happened. 

 

“ _Are you okay. I swear if any of them—_ ”

 

“I’m fine, Peter. Don’t worry about me. Go do your thing.”

 

“ _Already on it. I’ll swing by after. If you want me to._ ”

 

“I want you to. Be safe.”

 

“ _You too._ ”

 

“Go get em’ Tiger.”

 

MJ hung up her phone and hailed a cab. She needed to get home, and fast. After all, she wanted to get her article on the Six written before Peter got there. Hopefully, she wouldn’t get another lecture about putting herself in danger when she pitched it to Robbie.


End file.
